Hi the answer is called the Tm.
Hope this helps.
The electrons in the outermost shell of the covalent compounds are shared by nearby atoms. As there are no free electrons for conducting electricity, the covalent compounds are perfect insulators at absolute zero. As the temperature increases, some electrons move from valence band to conduction band. This gives rise to conductivity. But as the numbers of charge carriers are very low, covalent compounds are poor conductors. On the other hand metals are good conductors cause of their bonding. Metallic bonding consists of a sea of electrons rather than discreet bonds. The free electrons are able to move freely. Since electricity and heat need electrons to move, the bonding promotes conductivity.
Short answer - to breathe.
Long answer - the black streaks on the trunk of birch trees are called lenticels, and their function is to enable the exchange of gases between the tree and the air. So, in a way, this makes the whole process of photosynthesis a lot easier for birch trees.